What Christmas is Truly About
Written by Kati Toy
*This article contains frank language about Santa Claus*
As we start getting closer to Christmas, parents are telling their kids that “Santa is watching and if you are not being a good boy or girl, Santa is going to bring you coal.” But let’s be honest, has any parent truly bought their kids coal for Christmas? Being someone who was raised in a Christian home, I struggled with getting presents for Christmas. When I first found out that Santa doesn’t exist, I was overwhelmed with an extreme amount of guilt for receiving presents on Jesus’ birthday. I felt like I was letting God down. I spent my childhood believing in a man that was going to bring me gifts that I wanted, instead of a Man who gave His life for me. Don’t get me wrong, we still celebrate Jesus. One of my family traditions is that before we open presents and have our Christmas breakfast, we sit around the table and say a prayer to God and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
We have lost the true meaning of Christmas. Most of the time when we decorate for Christmas, we put Santa up with shiny ornaments and bright lights. We see shops and buildings around us put Santa up with his reindeer and sleigh. We use mistletoe to kiss our special somebody. We get so caught up in impressing our family with our insane partying and decorating skills. Christmas is no longer about God. When are we going to start decorating with the birth of Jesus? Since it is Jesus’s birthday, we should be decorating our homes for His birthday party. When a child celebrates their birthday, we ask what theme they would like to have on the cake and decorations to hang on the walls and ceiling. If we were able to ask Jesus at dinner one night before December 25th what he would like for us to use to decorate for his birthday party, do you think his response would be “Let’s buy Santa this year!”? I highly doubt that Jesus Christ would like for us to use the very person that He has to compete with for the glory and praise that He deserves. Santa has become the main staple of Christmas.
There’s a song called “Where’s the line to see Jesus?”. It is one of my favorite Christmas songs and I look forward to listening to it each December. There is a part in the song that states:
“Christmas time was approaching. The snow was starting to fall, shoppers choosing their presents, people filling the mall. Children waiting for Santa with excitement and glee. A little boy tugged my sweater, looked up and asked me. Where’s the line to see Jesus? Is He here at the store? If Christmas time is His birthday, why don’t we see Him more? Where’s the line to see Jesus? He was born for me. Santa Claus brought me presents, but Christ gave His life for me.”
Isn’t that so profound? If it is truly His birthday, then why is Santa EVERYWHERE we look? Santa has even been idolized to the point that songs about him coming to town with Rudolf and his reindeer are being played on the very station that is dedicated to Christ. I couldn’t believe that I was listening to songs about Santa on my Christian radio station.
Christmas is meant to celebrate Jesus’ birth and that He was sent to earth to save us. Jesus is the reason for the season, not Santa.
